Case Study: Unite Private Networks
Unite Private Networks (UPN) provides high-bandwidth, fiber-based communications networks and related services to schools, governments, carriers, data centers, hospitals, and enterprise business customers throughout the United States. Service offerings include dark and lit fiber, private line, optical Ethernet, Internet access, data center services, and other customized solutions.
UPN currently serves nearly 300 communities across 20 states, with over 5,000 metro fiber route miles, and 2,500 on-net buildings.
Headquartered in the Kansas City, MO metro area, UPN has been providing customer-focused communications solutions since 1998.
The Challenge
UPN's growing footprint and year-over-year growth was placing tremendous strain on the company's operations. Internal spreadsheets, paper files, and a home grown project tracking tool were not sufficiently allowing the company to keep pace with growing number of customers and large carrier orders.
The company's management team recognized that to continue to grow, stay competitive, and offer their customers best in class service, they needed to streamline and automate their back office operations with a solution that was scalable, cost effective, and could be easily adapted to their business processes.
The Solution
UPN evaluated numerous options, but were unable to find a solution that was a true fit for a Fiber company until they were introduced to FiberSmartz. UPN chose Netsmartz's FiberSmartz solution because it addressed all of their needs and had the flexibility to be fully customized for UPN. After conversations with other Fiber companies using FiberSmartz, UPN was confident that Netsmartz understood their business and would be able to work effectively with the UPN team from day one.
The Approach
Netsmartz and UPN established a team to work together to undertake the following tasks:- Understand the pain points and obtain buy-in from each UPN department and staff member
- Document by department, the tasks and workflow associated with each of UPN's service offerings.
- Define the requirements for a robust and flexible analytical reporting system.
- Analyze legacy systems and develop an integration plan
- Assess UPN's future needs
The Outcome
Using FiberSmartz, UPN seamlessly integrated all of their workflows. All UPN employees have access to a single system that provided easy access to the information they need when they need it.
As a result of implementing FiberSmartz, UPN has significantly reduced their operating costs by automating all of the day-to-day operations associated with service delivery. By organizing tasks and capturing detailed information from order entry to project completion, Fibersmartz has increased productivity across all of UPN's departments.
Documents such as contracts, third party agreements, service order forms, maps and notes are maintained in electronic format and can be easily accessed by all departments. Tracking the status of jobs takes minutes instead of hours and NOC issues are a resolved with greater accuracy and speed.
The new FiberSmartz Operational Support System has given UPN far greater insight into its own systems and processes. As a result, they can now identify inefficient processes, justify network planning decisions, and manage the entire organization's activities in a single system.
The Future
UPN is well positioned to expand their footprint and realize future growth in the competitive telecom market.
Its new centralized operations will allow the company to adapt quickly to changing market conditions and to provide a higher level of service to its customers.
Our partnership with UPN continues. As a result of the partnership and positive working relationship with Netsmartz, UPN continues to engage Netsmartz for other development and integration projects.
About Netsmartz
Netsmartz is a leading software development company and business services company with over 430 employees. We have a 13 year proven track record of developing and implementing complex solutions for Fiber and Telecom companies worldwide.
We partner with our clients to develop solutions that increase efficiency, manage risk and accelerate growth. By applying our deep industry knowledge and technical expertise, we help Fiber and Telecom customer build leadership positions in their markets.